


In which Alya writes Ladynoir fanfic.

by PoisonousCephalopod



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Fanfiction, Ladynoir Banter, about Ladybug, but I love the headcanon that Alya writes fanfic so, no that is not a good idea for anyone involved, this escalates to Marinette writing fanfic, this feels a bit too meta
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-10
Updated: 2020-11-16
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:35:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21739969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PoisonousCephalopod/pseuds/PoisonousCephalopod
Summary: When Alya's usual beta is sick, she enlists Marinette to help her edit her fanfiction.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Alya Césaire, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Alya Césaire & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 124
Kudos: 396





	1. Marinette Dupain-Cheng does not ship it

Alya looked at Marinette with a pleading expression on her face, pushing her tablet, writing program open, towards Marinette.

“Please Marinette?” I know you’re not a huge fan of Ladynoir, but my usual beta is sick this week, and…”

Marinette grimaced. She loved Alya, and her writing was great, but… if there was one thing she didn’t want to be doing right then, it was reading a way too detailed fanfiction about her kissing her best friend. Or running her fingers through his hair. Or marrying him.

If Alya had been a worse writer, Marinette could have just laughed off the ridiculousness, but as it was, the stories she wrote had a way of coming to life in Marinette’s imagination all to vibrantly and refusing to fade once they were there. The way she wrote Chat and Ladybug just felt all too real--even if the love story premise was ridiculous.

Marinette felt bad for constantly refusing to even read her friend’s work, but she didn’t need those kinds of images in her head. They tended to pop up again at the most inopportune moments--like whenever she was talking to Chat--making her all flustered, and distracting her from Akuma battles.

“Is there anyone else you could ask?” she said apologetically.

“I’m sorry, Marinette. I’d ask Nino, but you know how terrible a writer he is. He’d probably introduce more typos than he’d fix.”

“What about Rose? She’d probably like this.”

“Also sick.”

“Mylene?”

“On vacation.”

“Alix?”

Alya crossed her arms over her chest. “Oh please, if you think I’m telling Alix Kubdel I write Ladynoir fanfiction, you’ve got another thing coming.”

Marinette searched her head for another name. Juleka was about as good at writing as Nino was, and Sabrina was a hardcore Chat Rouge shipper…

“...Chloe?”

Alya glared at Marinette with the force of a thousand suns, clearly not impressed and Marinette shrank back a little, trying to think of another way to get out of this. She was considering ‘running for her life’ when another voice from behind her pulled Alya’s laser-eyes away from her.

“You write Ladynoir fanfiction?”

“GAAAH!!” Marinette jumped away from Adrien, falling to the ground and hiding under her and Alya’s desk.

Alya pulled her tablet against her chest. “You heard that, huh?”

Adrien’s ears reddened. “Yeah--Uh--I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but I heard you talking about Ladynoir, and--uh--I’ll read your fanfiction!”

Alya stared at him. “You’re a Ladynoir shipper?”

“Umm… Yes?” He reached up to scratch his head. “I mean, who wouldn’t be? Chat Noir and Ladybug are the most perfect couple to ever exist. Or they would be. If they were a couple. Her brains, his puns...”

He sighed happily.

Marinette eeped quietly from under the desk. She was dying. Dying! Adrien couldn’t be a Ladynoir shipper! What if someday he found out that Marinette was ladybug?!? And then he didn’t want to date her because it would ruin his OTP!?!

“But Ladybug doesn’t even LIKE Chat Noir!” Marinette squeaked. 

Alya rolled her eyes, leaning back in her seat. “Please. Ladybug may say that, but I know better… it’s obvious she’s into him. The only question now is whether they’re already secretly dating, or if she’s just in denial of her own feelings. 

Adrien’s eyes widened. “Really? You think so?”

“Totally. I’ve been gathering evidence for months. There is no way those two don’t have something going on between them.”

“Evidence?” said Marinette, finally managing to get over Adrien’s presence enough to climb back into her seat. “I know Ladybug kissed him a couple times, but those were both because of akumas. I don’t think that says anything about her feelings.”

“I’m not talking about those times. I’m talking about this.”

Alya withdrew out her phone and pulled up a video. Ladybug and Chat Noir, standing on a roof during an Akuma battle. She tapped the play button.

The audio quality was too terrible to tell what they were saying, but Marinette recognized Chat’s ‘making a pun’ face, right before he took her hand in his and kissed it.

Alya paused and zoomed in on Ladybug’s face, which was very, very red.

Marinette flushed the same color. “That’s--just one clip! She could be blushing for an ENTIRELY DIFFERENT reason!”

Alya smirked, swiping to the side. “Sure, Marinette.” 

She hit play on another clip.

This one took place indoors, in a building that Marinette thought was maybe the mayor’s hotel. Ladybug hung upside down from the ceiling, wrapped up in some sort of pink ropey sludge, while Chat Noir jumped about with his staff, whacking pink glob monster after pink glob monster in a crazy dance to keep them away from his partner.

The camera zoomed in on Ladybug’s face, which was full blatant adoration as she watched him.

Alya paused the video again, looking Marinette in the eyes. “Need I show you more? I have a whole folder of these.”

Marinette gave a strangled “no” at the same second Adrien said yes.

Alya ignored Adrien, continuing to stare down Marinette, her finger hovering threateningly over the screen.“So you ADMIT that Ladybug probably has a crush on Chat Noir?”

She debated for a moment in her head about whether this was worth fighting over further, finally deciding it wasn't. It wasn't as if she could explain to Alya how she knew what she knew. Maybe it was better to let Alya have her win.

“Okay…” Marinette sighed. “Maybe Ladybug has a bit of a thing for Chat Noir. But I STILL don’t think they’d make a good couple!”

Adrien turned to her, his eyes shining. “You really think so?”

Internally, Marinette turned to mush.

She couldn’t say no to that face. Even if the answer was clearly, definitely, absolutely, no.

She waved her hand helplessly at Alya’s phone screen. “Can’t really argue with that, can you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I usually don't post my fanfics online, but the ML fandom has so many I could not resist adding to the massive pile. If you enjoyed, please leave comments or feedback. (Or just remain content with a warm fuzzy feeling. Whatever your heart desires).


	2. Woefully misinterpreted platonic friendship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things escalate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And at last, we have a second chapter!
> 
> Thank you to everyone who encouraged me to expand this into a longer story, without your ideas and excitement it probably would never even occurred to me to write this. Also, I hate you all because I don't think I can stop at two and now I have an uNfINIsHeD work on my dash and it is driving me nuts...
> 
> Hopefully future chapters will have shorter time in between update now that I've finally committed to actually writing this. ENJOY.

Ladybug was _not_ in love with Chat Noir. She was sure of it.

One hundred thousand million percent sure.

There were plenty of reasons to blush at someone besides being in _love_ with them. Embarrassment. Shyness. Sunburn!

And as for that _look?_ It meant nothing. So she liked watching Chat fight. They were partners. He had been in the process of rescuing her when that video had been taken. It was to be expected. Of _course_ she’d been happy with him.

Why couldn’t she just have a nice, deep, _platonic_ friendship with Chat Noir without everyone in the universe deciding she secretly wanted to kiss him?

At the same time, she couldn’t get Alya’s wicked grin out of her head as she’d stood with her fingers poised over her phone screen.

_I’ve got more._

How _many_ more? It could only be a few, right? A couple more moments of woefully misinterpreted platonic friendship? Maybe a few more coincidences where Ladybug just happened to have been blushing for a completely unrelated reason? How many clips could that be? Five? Seven?

***

Turned out, it was a _lot_ more than seven. Enough to keep Adrien and Alya glued to each other for their entire lunch period.

With her best friend otherwise occupied, Marinette sat next to Nino, who she noticed also did not seem pleased that Adrien had basically stolen his crush.

Ugh. And Alya and he were sitting _so close together!_ Marinette understood they were both just trying to look at the same tiny phone screen, but still. Jealous.

 _She_ needed a twenty minute long Ladybug compilation that Adrien was drooling to watch.

***

If Marinette thought it couldn’t get any worse, it did, when after their last class of the day, Adrien ran to catch up with Alya, his face stained with tears.

Alya stopped, and her eyes swept Adrien up and down,an evil grin on her face. “You finished the chapter?”

“ _Alya,_ ” he said, voice breathless. “You are a goddess.”

She smugly leaned back against her locker. “I take it you liked it then?”

Adrien dropped to his knees and bowed. “Never before have I laid eyes on a more magnificent piece of literature.”

“Your worshipful appreciation is appreciated,” Alya said, smirking. “But did you find all the typos?”

Adrien straightened up, scratching the back of his neck. 

“I did leave notes where I noticed things. But seriously, Alya, it was almost perfect. You’re amazing.”

A bit of genuine happiness flashed beneath her smugness. “Why thank you.”

“I mean it.” His eyes went a little dreamy. “I don’t think I’ve been that touched by a story since, well, _ever._ I could kiss you right now.”

Behind Alya, Marinette let out a high pitched squeaking sound and fell backwards. Her cartwheeling arms nearly hit Nino in the face as he lunged to catch her, barely getting his arms beneath her before she hit the ground.

Neither Alya nor Adrien noticed, both still wrapped up in their conversation.

“Are you okay, dude?” Nino whispered to Marinette as he helped her back to her feet.

“Yeah, yeah! Fine!” She laughed nervously, but on the inside, her mind was reeling with realization.

She didn’t need a Ladybug compilation. 

She needed a _fanfic._

Her eyes zeroed in on Alya, who’d finished talking to Adrien and was now headed out the front doors of the school. 

“Alya!” she called, sprinting after her. “Alya, _wait!_ ”

***

“Let me get this straight.” Alya squinted. “ _You_ want to write a Ladynoir fanfiction.”

Marinette’s head bobbed furiously.

“ _You._ And you want me to help.”

Marinette shrugged her shoulders, throwing out her arms. “What can I say? Those clips _convinced_ me.”

Alya did not look convinced. She crossed her arms over her chest, raising an eyebrow.

“This is about Adrien, isn’t it.”

“Of COURSE not! WHY would it—“ Marinette wilted under Alya’s unimpressed stare. “Yes. This about Adrien.”

“Thank you.” Alya unfolded her arms. “Now that that’s out of the way—“ she dropped into Marinette’s wheeled chair and kicked over to her computer desk, “—We can begin.”

“You’re not mad?”

Alya grinned. “Of course not. I’ve always wanted you to join the fandom.” She winked. “And you may have ulterior motives now, but that doesn’t mean I won’t succeed in winning you over before we’re done with _this_ little project.”

Marinette laughed. “We’ll see about that.”

“Just you wait. I have a list of favorite fics you can read as research. By the time you’re done with them, you’ll be _dying_ for those two to get together.”

Marinette held her hands up in front of her. “Wait, wait, not so fast, Alya!” She shook her head. “Who ever said I was writing _romance_?” She pasted on a nervous smile. “It can be a… ...gen fic, like that Majestia one you showed me that one time.”

Alya shrugged. “If you say so, girl. But I’m just saying…” She looked at Marinette, eyes alit with a playful fire. “If you want to impress Adrien, you should go for the _ship._ ”

Marinette swallowed. 

She couldn’t believe she was even considering this, but Alya was right. If she wanted to impress Adrien with this, she couldn’t go just halfway. Her fanfic would have to be one of the best he’d ever seen.

And she was already writing fanfiction of _herself,_ for crying out loud. What was one step further?

“Okay,” she said, voice trembling. She set her jaw. “You’re right. I want Adrien to like it. If that means making it romantic, then so be it.”

The smile of a crazed fangirl just given ultimate power spread over Alya’s face. “Girl,” she said, leaning forward. “We are going to have _so_ much fun.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> italics count for this chapter: 23
> 
> I hate myself.


	3. In which Marinette is sleep deprived and also comes to a realization

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I cannot believe it has been a solid 4 months since I've updated this story. First half of this chapter really fought me and I had to rewrite it like six times, which definitely was... not good for my motivation on this project, especially with quarantine happening and all the stress from online school. But! I have finally returned! And am pleased to bless you with an extra long chapter!

Ch 3

“Girl, if you text me at 2AM ever again I am going to bury your body so far underground you will never wake up.”

Marinette flushed. “You’re the Ladyblogger! I thought you might know!”

Nino frowned. “Thought she might know what?”

“Wait,” said Alya, holding up a finger as she fished around in her pocket/purse for her phone. “It’s better if I show you.”

Marinette hid her face in her hands.

[2:45 AM] Marinette:  
Alya what does Chat Noir’s hair smell like?

[3:11 AM] Marinette: Nvm I figured it out

[6:21 AM] Alya: GIRL

“Dude, Marinette,” said Nino as he finished reading. “I thought you didn’t even _like_ Chat Noir.”

Alya gave Nino a knowing look. “Marinette is a vehement supporter of Chat Noir. It’s _Ladynoir_ she’s not a fan of.”

“What,” said Nino. Then his eyes went wide. “OHH--”

Alya elbowed him. “That was the story a couple of days ago, at least,” she said, turning her gaze back on Marinette. She wiggled her eyebrows. “Changed your mind any?”

Marinette’s entire face bloomed red. “Alya!”

“Have you finished it yet?” Alya held out a hand for Marinette’s phone. “Let me see what you’ve got so far.”

Marinette felt herself blush even harder as she tightened her fingers around her phone and pulled it closer against her body.

Alya wiggled her outstretched fingers. “Come on girl. Let’s see it.”

“No! I haven’t even read it yet, Alya!”

“Girl, you wrote it”

“When I was completely sleepdrunk at 4AM! You can’t expect me to remember that!”

Except she did remember it. More than she wanted to.

And man, she really did not want to look at it again. 

(Or maybe she did, and maybe that was worse)

“Come on, Marinette,” said Alya, inching closer to her friend “We can read it together. Don’t leave me in suspense any longer!”

Welp. Whatever flaming trash heap she had created, she was going to have to go back and read it eventually. Might as well make her humiliation complete by doing it with Alya present.

“Alright. Fine,” she said, pulled up the file and surrendered her tablet to Alya. “But you have to read it.”

“Honored,” said Alya, taking the tablet with a grin. She pushed her glasses up on her nose and cleared her throat.

***

Ladybug was exhausted. Stupidly, dead on her feet, exhausted.

_Alya paused to smirk. “Projecting much?”_

_Marinette scowled_

Stupid sleep akuma.

The spots on her yo-yo were spinning, and she had to keep reminding herself every few seconds what she was here to do. Make a plan. 

Make a plan, right.

She had to defeat the pillow man. Once she did, maybe her eyelids would stop hurting.

_Nino snorted out loud, and Alya covered her mouth, tears of mirth spilling from her eyes_

“Ladybug?” a hand landed on her shoulder, warm even through her suit. “Are you okay?”

Chat Noir’s brow was furrowed in a look of concern as he looked at her. There   
was something soft about it, different from the constant smirks and grins he usually wore, and Ladybug was struck with the sudden urge to kiss him.

He would probably let me, a part of her thought through her sleepy haze. Chat likes me a lot. He would be okay with me kissing him, right?

_A coil of dread twisted in Marinette’s stomach._

_What the heck had she been thinking?_

_What the HECK was going through her head when she wrote this?_

_She knew what was next_

And then, because Ladybug’s brain had gone completely offline, she wrapped her arm around Chat Noir and threaded her fingers into his hair, pulling his head down to hers.

There was a tiny gasp of surprise as her lips touched his, but it took him only a second to respond in earnest, pulling her closer, deepening the kiss.

It felt good. Why had she waited so long to do this? She could remember there had been a reason, but right then—in the tingling dreaminess of the moment—she found she couldn’t quite remember what it was.

_Marinette choked, making a noise in her throat like she’d just swallowed a blender._

_“Are you okay?”_

_“MARINETTE—“_

***

Marinette coughed into her elbow, then looked back at her friends with the most normal smile she could give them.

I’m fine!” she said, hugging the tablet against her chest. “Just… ahh… I suddenly don’t feel well! Bye nurse! I mean—I’m going to the nurse's office! Bye guys!”

And then she escaped.

She felt both Nino’s and Alya’s eyes burning into the back of her head as she sprinted down the hallway, and it wasn’t till she was several halls away that she finally felt calm enough to slow down. Tikki flew out of her purse, and she fell backwards against the wall.

“You shouldn’t run out like that if it’s not for an emergency,” said Tikki. “You already do it enough for akuma attacks.”

Marinette wrapped her arms around herself.

“I know, Tikki. I don’t know why I did that. It’s just… I panicked, and then I lied to my friends about something that didn’t even have to do with Ladybug—“

“It’s okay, Marinette.” Tikki gave her a small smile. “You don’t need to feel bad.”

She stared down at her tablet.

“...I shouldn’t have done that, Tikki.”

“Do you mean running away, or do you mean writing the story?”

“Ahah—of course I mean running away! I mean there’s no reason for me to feel bad about writing the story, why should I? Except it’s embarrassing, and awkward, but I do embarrassing and awkward things all the time, so this is really no big deal—“

She took a quick breath, before continuing just as fast . 

“Chat Noir probably wouldn’t even think it was weird if he knew. Just a joke between friends, right? I mean I wouldn’t put it past him to have done the exact same thing…”

Tikki flew up in front of Marinette’s face, looking her straight in the eyes. 

“Marinette… do you really think that?”

Marinette buried her head between her knees. “I don’t have a crush on Chat Noir, Tikki.”

Tikki’s voice stayed patient. “I never said you did, Marinette.”

Marinette feels her face growing red again. She knows what it means that the first thing her brain jumped to was that denial, even if she doesn’t like it.

She sits up again and lets out a thick sigh, collapsing backwards against the wall.

“I don’t know where all this is coming from, Tikki. I don’t want to kiss Chat Noir! The only reason I even think about it is because of Alya and everything she writes about us!”

“Okay,” Tikki said. “I believe you.”

Her tone was normal, no extra drama or weight to it, and yet Marinette was left with a creeping feeling that it was too easy of an admission.

“Thanks, Tikki,” she said as she got back up onto her feet.

Tikki gave her one last I-believe-in-you smile before flying back into her purse.

Marinette fiddled with her pigtails for a moment, making sure she hadn’t messed them up too badly in her sudden freak-out, and started back down the hall.

She didn’t have a crush on Chat Noir. She was just stressed out after two consecutive nights with practically no sleep and it was starting to get to her head.

One good night’s rest, and she would be feeling back to normal.

***

When Marinette woke up the next morning to the dissipating eddies of a dream in which she had very much been making out with Chat Noir, she was forced to admit she had more of a problem than she may have thought.

Well, first she shrieked and fell out of her bed. Then she admitted she had a problem.

“Marinette!” Tikki landed on the edge of her bed and cocked her head, staring down at the tangle of Marinette-and-blanket on the floor with a worried expression on her face. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, Tikki!” Marinette shouted—a little louder than intended. “It’s fine! Please pretend I’m still asleep while I process this existential crisis!”

She pulled her blankets up over her face. Great. Maybe she could pretend to be asleep. Not that Tikki would fall for that, but maybe if Marinette did it then she would actually fall back asleep, and then she could forget this entirely, and then she would be able to not die of embarrassment next time she interacted with Chat Noir. Or Alya.

Or Nino, or even _Adrien._

Ahhhhhhhgg, this was bad.

She groaned and rolled over, ignoring the fact that the floor in her bedroom was as hard as an actual sidewalk.

It was hard to pay attention in class that day, with her attention torn between the back of Adrien’s head in front of her and the photograph of a grinning Chat Noir on Alya’s binder to her side. He looked stupidly cute in that picture, grinning at the camera while holding up a peace sign. 

For the first time, Ladybug found herself wondering if his good looks really were as purely objective as she had always told herself, or if this was a her thing.

Seven minutes and a few surreptitious google searches later, Marinette had her answer: according to the internet, Chat Noir was a heartthrob. Not even Adrien had that many forum threads specifically dedicated to discussing his perfect face.

She should have been relieved by that knowledge. She wasn’t.

She spent all of second period sketching Adrien in her design sketchbook to try and make herself feel better, but when the drawing was almost finished, she found herself penciling in a mask over the line of his cheekbones and lightly shading the entire sclera green, instead of just the irises.

It looked more like Chat Noir than she’d thought it would, despite the facial structure being based off of Adrien. It was uncanny, and did nothing to soothe her discomfort.

The bell rang for lunch a few minutes later, and Marinette choked back a surprised raptor screech when Adrien appeared behind her and leaned over her desk to inspect the drawing. “That looks really good, Marinette. I didn’t know you knew how to draw.”

Suddenly, she was very, very, grateful she’d added the Chat Noir mask.

“Ye-ahh-ahh.” She giggled nervously. “I draw! Cuz—fashion design!”

Well, at least that had been closer to a coherent sentence than she usually achieved around Adrien.

He scratched the back of his neck, blushing. “I guess I should have figured that. My Dad draws too. He’s too busy now to do much outside of his design work, but I have an old portfolio of stuff he drew in college I like to pull out sometimes and look through.”

His smile somehow managed to be both shy and blinding at the same time, and Marinette melted a little.

“Anyway,” he said, taking a step towards the door. “I should probably go, I think Nino’s waiting for me.”

Marinette started rapidly shoving her colored pencils back into their case. “Yeah! He’s waiting for me too!” 

She realized what she’d said and blushed. “I mean—Alya! Alya is waiting for me!”

Adrien just laughed. “You’ll have to show me more of your art sometime. I really like your style.”

Marinette was too much of a fluttery mess to say anything in response to that as he waved goodbye and walked out the classroom door.

She took one last look at the Adrien-turned-Chat-Noir drawing before shoving it into her bag with the rest of her things, and felt her heart squeeze even further.

She really, _really_ had a problem.


	4. Eat Plasma, You Fools

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is slightly less edited than usual, by which I mean I went over it once after finishing instead of obsessively reading it over and over til my eyes bleed. What can I say? After a four month break between the last two chapters I feel the need to be fast now and give you guys lots of content.
> 
> Anyways, enjoy! I feel this chapter has a little less humor than some of the others but also more fluff so it kinda balances out *shrug*

Ladybug hurtled through the air and smacked against something hard, the impact forcing the air from her lungs, and she gasped, scrambling back onto her feet.

Her leg hurt. Ow. Supporting her weight against the wall, she scanned the area behind her.

She’d landed in an alleyway. Distantly, in the main street, she could still see pink lights flashing and hear the muffled sound of cannons going off.

Behind her, Chat Noir followed on his staff, dropping onto the ground next to her with a graceful lightness that seemed intended to mock her. “You okay?” His eyebrows furrowed. “You seem a little off today.”

She rolled her eyes. “My leg is not happy to have been smashed into a building, but otherwise fine.”

Pushing off the wall, she forced herself to stand on her feet again. It hurt, her entire upper leg burning like it had been set on fire, and she almost instantly regretted it, but she didn’t want him worrying. She was sure if he knew how injured her leg _really_ was, he’d offer to carry her or something, and she didn’t need him slowing himself down for her.

She reconsidered when she tried taking a step, and felt the shock of even more pain jolt through her thigh. “Actually, the leg might be a problem.”

She felt his hands around her legs and lower back a second later, scooping her up into a princess carry. “Is this okay?”

She winced. “Yeah. Just don’t drop me.”

“I would never.” 

He grinned down at her, and Ladybug was suddenly made aware of the dance of her heartbeat as it quadrupled in speed.

 _Why._ Now was not the time for this.

It’d only been a day since she’d admitted to herself that she—swallow—had a crush on Chat Noir—and the outright _annoyingness_ of it was just now making itself known. It felt way too good to have his arms wrapped around her like this, her nerve endings lighting up with a tingling warmth wherever he touched her—a weird feeling on her injured leg, which was simultaneously still throbbing, if less than before.

“So what’s the plan?” Chat asked, rocketing them both out of the alleyway a second before a ricocheting ball of energy exploded right where they’d been standing a moment before.

“I don’t think I can walk,” Ladybug said, trying to calm her fluttering heartbeat and focus. “The akuma is almost certainly in the laser cannon thing but I’m not sure how to get in close enough to break it with only one of us. There’s no one to play distraction.”

“Backup?”

Ladybug grimaced. “The other miraculouses are at my house.”

“Well that’s lovely—“ Chat ducked and jumped off the ledge they’d been standing on, narrowly dodging another blast of pink.

“EAT PLASMA, YOU FOOLS!!!” a voice screeched.

Great. They’d been found already. Of course they had. Could the universe not stand to give her and Chat Noir _one minute_ of peace?

His lips pursed, glancing back down at her leg. “We need to get you somewhere safe. You can’t fight like this.”

“I—I’m not going to leave you to fight it alone—“

He gave her a smile—a real smile, reassuring and warm, softer than his usual wild grin. “You’ve done plenty, My Lady. We wouldn’t have figured out where the akuma was without you. But you’re going to have to let me finish this one.”

Ladybug’s breath caught in her throat, and she suddenly found herself incapable of speaking.

She nodded instead, hoping Chat didn’t notice the shaking in her arms.

Chat Noir didn’t waste any time in losing the akuma, vaulting across several city blocks in a matter of seconds before dropping down into the space between two buildings and landing on the ledge beneath a window.

A somewhat _familiar_ window.

He didn’t even hesitate as he kicked through Alya’s screen and swung into her bedroom, where he deposited Ladybug on the bed.

“The girl who lives here shouldn’t be back any time soon,” he said. “The bedroom door is probably locked so her family shouldn’t come in.”

He opens Alya’s closet and pulls out the first aid kit from the top shelf—and why does _Chat Noir know where Alya keeps her first aid kit?”_

He drops it next to Ladybug on the bed and clicks it open. “You know first aid, right?”

She hadn’t before she’d become Ladybug. But with the ridiculous amount of Akuma attacks they’d been involved in, Madame Bustier had made extra time in the class schedule to teach them all the basics. “Yeah.”

There wasn’t much she could do, really—she didn’t even know what the injury was, and getting hurt was always a little weird with the superhero suits on anyways, but she could at least take a painkiller or something to numb the aching.

“Good. I’ll stick the akuma in a jar or something and bring it back here for you to purify afterwards.” 

They didn’t bother talking about what they’d do if Chat didn’t defeat the akuma. There was no point.

He stood by the window longer than was necessary, rocking on his heels, giving her one last pained look.

“I’ll be okay,” she said, putting on a smile. “You will be too. You’ve got this.”

She calls up her lucky charm and a beaded jump rope falls into her hand, which she tosses to Chat. “Good luck.”

He vaulted off the windowsill, and Ladybug watched as he disappeared between a pair of buildings.

And then she was alone. As Ladybug. Trapped in Alya’s room. Injured. During an akuma attack.

She debated the merits of detransforming so she’d have Tikki to talk too, and decided against. She had no idea how long it would be till Chat came back. He also hadn’t actually checked the door to make sure it was locked, she now realized, which meant any of Alya’s sisters could come through at any time—and it would be much, _much_ easier to explain what Ladybug was doing here than Marinette.

So. Alone with her thoughts.

Her thoughts, and the warm tingling still lingering on her skin where Chat Noir had held her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italics count for this chapter: 8
> 
> I think. I kind of suck at counting.
> 
> Also color me completely unsurprised that they ended up running and fighting the akuma almost entirely offscreen once we finally got to the superhero stuff. Gahhhh, Ladynoir is my favorite corner of the love square but I hate battle scenes so much.
> 
> Fun fact, the akuma in this chapter is very much inspired by Uravity’s costume from My Hero Academia (because I have been reading way too much BNHA fic lately) and the akumatized person is very upset over inaccurate Hollywood sci-fi logic. Just thought I’d throw that out there because Idk if it will come up in the actual story or not.


	5. skjgsasdaaddf

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm out of good chapter titles, so have Marinette's keyboard smash instead

As Marinette collapsed into her bed at 1 A.M. a week after the disaster that had been Space Queen, body exhausted by another painfully-long akuma battle, she cursed her former self for ever agreeing to read Alya’s fanfiction.

Things had been so easy, back when she’d been in denial. Yeah, her life had still   
been a mess, but at least she’d been able to keep her superhero-ing and debilitating schoolgirl-with-a-crush behavior _separate._

A niggling voice at the back of her head that told her that denial didn’t actually change anything and she’d been unknowingly building up to this for ages, but she ignored it. 

No. This was most definitely absolutely the fault of the fanfic and if it hadn’t been for Alya, none of this would have ever happened ever. She would still be able to focus in fights. She would still be able to take his ridiculous over-the-top flirting without blushing violently. She wouldn’t embarrass herself during live interviews when particularly drama-hungry reporters asked her way-to-personal questions about her and Chat’s “relationship”.

“Tikki,” she said into her pillow. “We need to do something about this.”

“Do something about what?”

“Chat Noir.” She inhaled. “...And my crush on him.”

She was pretty sure it was the first time saying it out loud, and she’d expected more of a reaction. A gasp or a squeak, at least. But Tikki’s voice was calm, taking the information in stride as if it were something she’d known for ages.

Maybe she had. Marinette had been miles deep in denial, but she’d never been… _subtle_ about crushes.

“You mean you want to confess?”

“No! At least… I don’t think I do? I’m still in love with Adrien, that hasn’t changed, but I need to _get it together_ before my spazziness ends in us losing our miraculous!”

“You’re sure you don’t want to at least give him a chance? Maybe if you were allowed to act on your feelings it would help.”

Marinette went silent, staring at her bedsheets.

It was something she hadn’t even considered.

“You really think I should?” she whispered.

Tikki pursed her lips. “I think… I think you deserve to be happy.”

Would Chat Noir make her happy?

Marinette closed her eyes and, for the first time, allowed herself to really, truly, consider it.

She thought of exhausted fist bumps and nights spent racing over rooftops. Afternoons spent visiting children in hospitals. Stupid interviews and the banter that filled them.

She thought of Chat Noir‘s arms wrapped around her as he looked down at her with that tender, caring expression in his eyes.

Her tongue was dry.

“I… I’d have to give up on Adrien.”

_Maybe Chat Noir was worth giving up on Adrien._

“I think you’re strong enough to do whatever needs to be done, Marinette,” said Tikki.

_Whatever needed to be done. Right._

If only Marinette knew what that was.

*** 

Marinette was mostly quiet in school the next day. She stared at Adrien’s head all morning, drew hair bow designs in the margins of her notebook—she wasn’t ready for people again, not after the Chat Noir drawing from last week—and listened to Alya talk.

There was some big convention or something coming up focusing on heroes, and as the owner of the Ladyblog, Alya had been asked to be on several panels to “share her knowledge about real life heroes.”

“I still can’t believe they invited me!” she exclaimed. “I’m going to be on a panel with _Majestia;_ I cannot believe this. Well, her voice actress, anyway”

“I hope you have a great time!” said Marinette, smiling. “It sounds like a lot of fun.”

“Girl, you’re coming with me, aren’t you?”

“I mean… err… I wasn’t planning on—“

Alya grabbed her by the arm. “Come on, Marinette! I know you’re saving money for that new fabric and stuff, but the organizers gave me extra tickets, so you won’t even have to pay anything!”

For a moment, Marinette was truly tempted.

But no. This was a _hero convention._ In _Paris._ The chances of her _not_ being asked to make an appearance as Ladybug were infinitesimal, even if whatever poor volunteer assigned to hunt down her and Chat Noir hadn’t managed to contact her yet.

Of course… she _could_ ignore all that and just go with Alya anyway. There was no rule that said Ladybug had to do show up for things like this, as Tikki had told her upon numerous occasions. 

She just… hated disappointing her fans.

There was also the almost-certainty that an Akuma Attack would happen sometime that day. With an event as big as this, she would be more surprised if Hawkmoth _didn’t_ pull something than if he did, and it would be a lot easier to deal with if she didn’t have to worry about sneaking away.

“I’m sorry, Alya,” she said, twisting the hem of her jacket. “I wish I could, but I already have plans for that weekend.”

Alya sighed, but didn’t press. “You’re gonna be missing out, girl.”

Marinette made a silent promise to herself to visit at least one of Alya’s panels as Ladybug.

“I really am sorry—“

“It’s fine,” said Alya, going back to her schoolwork. “I’m sure I’ll find someone willing to go. It’s _Herocon_ , after all.

***

[11:38 AM] Alya: okay, Marinette, I promise I did not plan this but it just sort of happened 

[11:38 AM] Alya: please, please, don’t be mad at me.

[11:41 AM] Marinette: …How worried should I be?

[11:42 AM] Alya: ...Adrien is going to herocon with me.

[11:43 AM] Alya: I don’t know how this happened and I’m sorry.

[11:45 AM] Marinette: Why would I be upset? You guys are friends too, right?

[11:46 AM] Marinette: I mean of course I wish I could be there too

[11:46 AM] Marinette: But you don’t need to apologize for hanging out with him.

[11:46 AM] Alya: I just feel bad skjgsasdaaddf

[11:47 AM] Alya: cuz like we’ve been hanging around a lot?

[11:47 AM] Alya: but most of it has just been me and him

[11:47 AM] Alya: even tho he’s your crush

[11:47 AM] Alya: and I can tell Nino’s bothered by it too and just isn’t saying anything cuz he’s too nice.

[11:48 AM] Marinette: I don’t think Nino’s bothered. He’s glad you guys are friends.

[11:48 AM] Marinette: Just… slightly insecure because his best friend is a supermodel

[11:49 AM] Alya: I will tell him I love him

[11:49 AM] Marinette: Probably a good idea

***

Marinette stared at her phone. The little dot next to Alya’s profile picture showed she was offline, but that was fine. Marinette wasn’t waiting for a response.

“Is it weird that I’m not actually that upset?” she voiced aloud. They were in public—sitting on one of the benches at the park she and Alya frequented—and Tikki was still in Marinette’s purse for Secrecy Reasons, but the few other people Marinette saw were all far enough away that they didn’t have to worry about being overheard. “I mean, it’s of course tragic that I’m missing an _entire day_ of hanging out with Adrien, and I won’t lie and say I’m not jealous, but I don’t regret saying I couldn’t come.”

Tikki giggled. “Well, this way you do get to spend time with your other crush.”

Right. Marinette felt the warmth blossoming in her cheeks, and had to fight an instinctual urge to force down the light, rosy feeling that arose in her chest.

She liked Chat Noir. She could chill out and enjoy the feeling of being in love for a little bit, especially right now. Her homework for the week was done, there was no sign of an Akuma anywhere—though she had Ladyblog alerts on on her phone, just in case—and she had nothing to do with the two and a half hours until patrol except work on designs in her sketchpad and daydream about cute boys.

A sudden thought pinged in her mind like a flick against her head. “Tikki,”  
she said. “Is this—HeroCon—If Chat Noir and I are both going, and we probably will be, because we’re the heroes of Paris, but, if we go _together_ —Is this a date?”

Tikki giggled. “You haven’t even talked to him about going yet!”

“Yeah.” Marinette slumped. “That’s right.”

In Alya’s frenzy of excitement, and the news that even _Adrien_ would be coming, she’d entirely forgotten that he wasn’t the only person with a busy schedule to worry about. Chat Noir didn’t talk a lot about his personal life—he knew she’d scold him if he did—but she had picked up that he had a lot of obligations besides just school, and that he was sneaking out of things more often than not when he met with her.

“As for whether or not it’s a date,” said Tikki. “I think it can be whatever you want it to be. If you don’t say anything, there’s no reason the two of you can’t enjoy time together as just friends.”

Marinette heard the words between the lines clearly. _If you want it to be…_

She was so sick of almost-dates and romantic setups that never quite turned into what she wanted them to be. This was a chance for something honest, a real, actual, romantic, _thing_ where both parties knew what they were getting into and were clear about it.

She still wasn’t sure what she wanted with Chat Noir. But this was a chance to figure it out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm very excited to share the next chapter with you guys, I've already started writing it, and I think it's going to be a fun one...


	6. In which Chat Noir is an adorable dork and also falls off a roof

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat Noir gets asked out and Ladybug learns some... odd ...things about his personal life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GUESS WHAT WE'RE DOING ACTUAL CHAPTER SUMMARIES NOW.
> 
> I hope the inconsistency doesn't bother anyone (maybe I'll go back through and add them to earlier chapters... maybe?) but I decided I wanted them because I just find it easier to keep track of long-running stories when I can go back and look through them and I realized this is starting to turn into one of those. (This story is ending up a lot longer than I ever expected it would... usually I have trouble writing long things but this has already surpassed the length I originally estimated it would be and we still aren't even to the ending sequence, so it's been a different experience)
> 
> I also just want to say thank you to all the lovely people who have commented on the last few chapters. I love y'all. Even if you're just commenting emoji's or something, it still helps me absorb the knowledge that Whoah, actual people are reading this and They Actually like it and want me to write more, which is just... a really happy feeling and also usually ends up with me feeling a lot more excited to write more because YOUR ENTHUSIASM IS CONTAGIOUS. O.K, that's enough gushing, bye.

In the end, asking him was easier than it had any right to be. She’d expected to be nervous, to stutter and hide her face and quite possible to run off in a fit of panic after accidentally saying something stupid, but if anything, things felt easier now that she’d made up her mind, her Ladybug confidence wrapping around her like a favorite jacket she’d been missing as they started their patrol.

They quickly fell into easy conversation, and it wasn’t hard to turn the topic to the convention when they leapt past a giant billboard for the new Majestia movie and Chat jumped into an excited stream of chatter about the lead actress and all the other movies she’d been in.

It turns out that Chat Noir knows a _lot_ more about voice acting than she’d have guessed, spiraling off on tangents about recording studios and the emotional nuance contained in different types of screams. It’s kind of interesting, actually, even though most of what he’s saying goes over her head. 

“I heard she’s going to be in Paris for a convention soon,” Ladybug says when he finally slows down enough to speak.

“Oh, yeah, I heard about that.”

Ladybug has never noticed before just how _animated_ his face is, flipping from intense concentration to thoughtful to beaming in a matter of seconds.

(She wonders if he acts. She’s always thought his loud personality and complete lack of inhibitions would fit a drama club kid, and his impressive knowledge about voice acting would support that…)

“I already have plans to go as a civilian,” he continues. “I‘ve always wanted to go, but I haven’t really been allowed to before this year.”

She blinks. “What changed?”

“I’m not entirely sure.” He shrugged. “I think maybe parental figure number two has some sort of blackmail material or something over parental figure number one? He’s always been against it and usually he wins arguments like this but this time he just seems to be grudgingly accepting it.”A frown crossed Chat Noir’s ace. “Still not allowed to cosplay though.”

Ladybug’s mouth dropped open. “But cosplay is the best part of going to a con!”

He shrugs again. “It’s not a big deal. I don’t really get to choose what I wear for everyday clothing either, so I’m kind of used to it.”

He didn’t get to..? Did he mean his _parents_ picked out his clothes? 

“Wh—Why?!?”

“Umm… Parental figure one is really picky about fashion?”

She stared at him for a moment longer before shaking her head. “That’s… really weird, Chat.”

“...I know?”

She tried not to let the horror of that linger in her mind too long. She hated to think what kind of monstrosities she would end up wearing if _her_ father was in charge of her clothes.

“Anyway,” she said, forcing herself to refocus. “About the con. I think maybe the two of us should make an appearance? And—“ she bit her lip. “If you want to, I was thinking we could take the opportunity to have a little fun, too. Go see some of the panels and stuff, maybe.”

“Milady!” He clutched a hand to his chest, eyebrows rising comically high. “Are you asking me out on a _date?!?_ ”

“You’ve used that joke before,” she said. “Also, yes.”

He stumbled, nearly falling off the roof, and a smirk crawled across Ladybug’s face as she threw out her yo-yo and yanked him back. 

“Race you to the Eiffel Tower,” she shouted, pulling the string back in with a twist of her wrist and leaping forward.

“Milady—Wh—Wait!”

***

He did eventually catch up to her,though it took him longer than it usually would, and there was a patch of grime on his face that wasn’t there before Ladybug was 99% sure came from crashing into a building in his distraction.

“That was cheating,” he grumbled with a fake-wounded expression, dropping down onto the beam she’s balanced on.

“It was _strategy,_ ” she giggles, flicking him on the nose.

He swallows, pink spreading across his cheeks, and chuckles lightly. “So, what you said before… You didn’t mean—“

The insecurity in his expression physically pained her.

Putting her hand on his, she met his acid-green eyes directly and cleared her throat. “Chat Noir—I’ll make this a little less ambiguous. Will you go to Hero Con with me. As a date?”

He stared at her for a long moment, eyes widened, and Ladybug was momentarily struck by how pretty his eyelashes were. “You,” he started. “Are asking _me_ on a date.”

She grinned back at him. “Don’t act so surprised. I’m pretty sure every girl in this city would love to go on a date with you.”

“Yeah—“ He sputtered. “—but not _you!_ ”

She rolled her eyes. So like him to respond to that with _‘yeah’_ as if it were a given. Always so stupidly confident. She allowed the annoyance back into her tone. “Why are you like this?”

Whatever momentary shyness had grasped him a second before was gone, and he ran his fingers through his hair, smirking. “You know you like it.”

She did.

She groaned. “You’re going to be insufferable about this, aren’t you.”

“I’m also going to go home after this and scream into my pillow for an hour,” he shrugged. “So I think you still win.”

She rolled her eyes“You are _so_ extra.”

“It’s a gift.”

His eyes sparkled. Ladybug tried to keep her scowl, but she could feel a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth, and her heart squeezing in her chest.

This… this was going to be different.

She didn’t think she’d regret it.

Not at all.


	7. In Which Chat Noir and Ladybug Have Excellent Outfits

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHHHH this is FINALLY FINISHED. Sorry for the long wait, I sort of fell out of the Miraculous fandom a few months back, so getting back into the heads of these characters and finishing this fic felt like p u l l i n g t e e t h. I have had the first 2/3rds of this chapter done FOREVER but despite several attempts the ending was just Not Going and I was determined not to give you guys something meh just so I could call it quits so it took awhile to get this pulled together.
> 
> Thank you to Marlynmiro for giving me the kick in the pants I needed today to finally go write this, and thank you to everyone else who has followed this fic for being so hugely encouraging.

Ladybug tugged at the black lace she’d attached to the top of her mask, nervously glancing down the mostly-empty path of the public park. The foot traffic was beginning to increase, and while Chat wasn’t technically late yet, she was beginning to worry they’d miss their chance to sneak into the con without notice if he didn’t get there soon.

It was at the exact second that thought crossed her mind that she heard a thump behind her, along with the familiar whir of Chat’s baton retracting.

“You should wear your hair down more often, milady.”

Ladybug jumped, nearly smacking him in the face as she squealed. “Aah!”

“Sorry for sneaking up on you,” he said, eyes twinkling. “I almost got spotted a couple of times on my way over here. Didn’t want to ruin your disguise plans. Yours is excellent by the way,” he said, looking her up and down. “I seriously can’t believe you made that yourself. You look gorgeous.”

Ladybug twisted a fist in the gauzy fabric of her skirt, looking down at the fabric to hide the small smile and blush she could feel on her face. She’d spent an unreasonable amount of time coming to a decision on what she wanted them to wear, but had eventually decided on more artistic versions of their actual costumes that they could wear over their usual suits. It was a little limiting, but it was the safest option—It cut down on the possibility of either of them being recognized as their civilian selves, and meant they wouldn’t have to sneak away to transform if an akuma attacked.

She’d covered or altered as much of the original material of her suit as she could to make herself look more like a cosplayer, adding elbow length gloves, tights, and a pair of clunky high-heeled boots, along with a tea-length dress with red underskirts and a top layer of lacy black that mimicked her original spots.

She pulled the outfit she’d put together for Chat out of her bag and threw it in his direction.

He gasped as he caught it, holding it up in front of him. “Ladybug, is this a _cape?_ ”

“Cloak,” she corrected, corner of her mouth twitching upward as she crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back against the nearest tree. “It has a hood.”

He quickly pulled it around his shoulders and tied it on. “I love this,” he said, swishing the ends. The expression on his face was alight with childish glee, and Ladybug had to suppress a smile of her own. “I might just make it a permanent part of my hero costume after this.”

“Edna from Incredible says no capes on hero costumes.”

“You just said it wasn’t a cape!”

Ladybug smirked, then nudged the rest of his costume closer to him. “Either way, you need to take it off. The other stuff goes on underneath.”

In a few minutes, he was completely dressed to match her, dark tunic and boots making him look like a fairytale prince. He stepped out of the bushes and dropped into a deep bow. “May I escort you to the ball, milady?”

Ladybug snorted and covered her mouth, but extended her other hand to take his. “Of course, Sir Chat.”

“Hey!” 

They both started, turning around to see a girl dressed as Volpina running towards them, gasping and out of breath. 

Oh no. Ladybug was not ready to be recognized, not _already_ —

She exchanged a _look_ with her partner, mentally preparing herself to run.

“Your costumes are _amazing!”_ The girl said, grinning. “Do you think we could take a picture together?

Ladybug did her best to paste a bright smile back onto her face. “Sure! Of course.”

They took several shots, a few staged like fights and then one where they all crowded together, shooting peace signs at the camera.

“You two make _such_ a cute couple,” the girl said afterwards. “I’m jealous. I’ve always thought it would be so fun to do pair’s costumes.”

Chat Noir flushed and Ladybug laughed, grabbing him by the hand and squeezing. “I know what you mean. I’ve been wanting to for _ages,_ you wouldn’t believe how excited I am to finally have a boyfriend to drag into this.”

The woman waved as she left, and if at all possible, Chat blushed even harder. _“Boyfriend?”_

She remembered her conversation with Tikki, about how this didn’t have to be anything more than she wanted it to be. All she’d told herself then was that she’d give him a chance.

But with all the happiness bubbling up inside her, the pure _lightness_ threatening to overflow them both, Ladybug couldn’t help but feel that this was _right._ Her and him. Him and her. Ladybug and Chat Noir.

Boyfriend and girlfriend.

She raises an eyebrow, placing a hand mockingly over her chest. “Only if you want to be, my lord. I understand if a committed relationship might be to much for someone of your flirtatious ways—”

“ _Ladybug._ ” He gives her a solemn look, though she catches a twitch of a smile underneath that he can’t quite keep hidden. “I would be honored.”

He bows, and when he comes back up, he really is smiling, corners of his mouth pulled wide into a sparkling grin. “So, what’s next, _girlfriend._ ”

Ladybug rubs at her chin, pretending for a moment to be thoughtful.

“Hmm… well. We _could_ go to the food courts and eat lunch, like we’d planned. _Or_ we could go troll the Ladyblogger and the rest of the press for all they’re worth.”

Chat Noir’s eyes light up, a glint of mischief sparking. “I vote for trolling Alya.”

Ladybug exhales, mock exasperated. “You would.”

“I’m not sure what you mean,” he says, shoulders shrugging in a far too exaggerated approximation of innocence. “I’m only following my Lady’s brilliant lead, as always.”

She closes her eyes, allowing herself to just— _bask_ in his presence for a moment before opening her eyes and taking his hand in hers again. “C’mon, Kitty. Let’s go kiss somewhere the cameras can see us.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn’t feel like actually writing it, but Chat Noir and Ladybug’s trolling of Alya involved getting themselves caught and photographed being blatantly romantic while still undercover, revealing themselves dramatically when an Akuma inevitably showed up, and then playing really, really dumb for the reporters later. Adrien also did not ditch Alya. He had plans to meet up with her later in the day after he was done with Ladybug. (So imagine a lot of screaming at him later from Alya about how he MISSED LADYNOIR KISSING AAAAAAAAAHHHH)


End file.
